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Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain near the third ventricle, located below the thalamus and above the brainstem. The anterior boundary of the hypothalamus is determined by the line connecting the anterior commissure, the lamina terminalis and the optic chiasm. The lower limit of the hypothalamus is formed by the infundibulum, the tuber cinerum and the mamillary bodies. The posterior limit is represented by a straight line joining the mamillary bodies and the posterior commissure.

The hypothalamus is involved in the following control systems:
body temperature
autonomic nervous system
emotional and food behavior
endocrine (via the pituitary)
circadian rhythm.


  • Hypothalamus. Image 1

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted sagittal Image. 1, Anterior commissure. 2, Corpus callosum. 3, Third ventricle. 4, Cerebellum. 5, Pons. 6, Pituitary gland.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 2

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted axial Image. 1, Anterior commissure. 2, Putamen. 3, Third ventricle. 4, Corpus callosum.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 3

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted coronal Image. 1, Anterior commissure. 2, Caudate nucleus. 3, Corpus callosum. 4, Lateral ventricle. 5, Third ventricle.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 4

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted sagittal Image. 1, Lamina terminalis. 2, Corpus callosum. 3, Third ventricle. 4, Cerebellum. 5, Pons. 6, Pituitary gland.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 5

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted axial Image. 1, Lamina terminalis. 2, Third ventricle. 3, Pineal gland. 4, Corpus callosum.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 6

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted coronal Image. 1, Lamina terminalis. 2, Caudate nucleus. 3, Corpus callosum. 4, Lateral ventricle. 5, Third ventricle.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 7

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted sagittal Image. 1, Optic chiasm. 2, Corpus callosum. 3, Third ventricle. 4, Cerebellum. 5, Pons. 6, Pituitary gland.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 8

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted axial Image. 1, Optic chiasm. 2, Cerebral aqueduct. 3, Colliculus superior.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 9

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted coronal Image. 1, Optic chiasm. 2, Caudate nucleus. 3, Corpus callosum. 4, Lateral ventricle. 5, Pituitary gland.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 10

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted sagittal Image. 1, Infudibulum. 2, Corpus callosum. 3, Cerebellum. 4, Pons. 5, Midbrain. 6, Pituitary gland.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 11

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted axial Image. 1, Infudibulum. 2, Cerebral aqueduct. 3, Midbrain. 4, Substantia nigra.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 12

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted coronal Image. 1, Infudibulum. 2, Caudate nucleus. 3, Corpus callosum. 4, Lateral ventricle. 5, Pituitary gland.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 13

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted sagittal Image. 1, Tuber cinerum. 2, Corpus callosum. 3, Fornix. 4, Third ventricle. 5, Cerebellum. 6, Fourth ventricle. 7, Pons.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 14

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted axial Image. 1, Tuber cinerum. 2, Cerebral peduncle. 3, Cerebral aqueduct. 4, Colliculus superior.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 15

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted coronal Image. 1, Tuber cinerum. 2, Fornix, column. 3, Septum pellucidum. 4, Third ventricle.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 16

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted sagittal Image. 1, Mamillary body. 2, Corpus callosum. 3, Third ventricle. 4, Cerebellum. 5, Midbrain. 6, Pons. 7, Pituitary gland.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 17

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted axial Image. 1, Mamillary body. 2, Cerebral aqueduct. 3, Colliculus superior.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 18

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted coronal Image. 1, Mamillary body. 2, Corpus callosum. 3, Lateral ventricle. 4, Third ventricle.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 19

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted sagittal Image. 1, Posterior commissure. 2, Midbrain. 3, Pituitary gland. 4, Optic recess. 5, Corpus callosum.

  • Hypothalamus. Image 20

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted axial Image. 1, Posterior commissure. 2, Third ventricle. 3, Globe (left side).

  • Hypothalamus. Image 21

    Previous | Next .   MRI of the Brain: T1-weighted coronal Image. 1, Posterior commissure. 2, Thalamus. 3, Lateral ventricle. 4, Cerebral aqueduct.

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Reference:

Saleem SN, Said AH, Lee DH. Lesions of the hypothalamus: MR imaging diagnostic features. Radiographics. 2007 Jul-Aug;27(4):1087-108.